51Թ

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View synonyms for

melancholy

[mel-uhn-kol-ee]

noun

plural

melancholies 
  1. a gloomy state of mind, especially when habitual or prolonged; depression.

    Synonyms: , ,
    Antonyms: ,
  2. sober thoughtfulness; pensiveness.

    Synonyms:
  3. Archaic.

    1. the condition of having too much black bile, considered in ancient and medieval medicine to cause gloominess and depression.

    2. black bile.



adjective

  1. affected with, characterized by, or showing melancholy; mournful; depressed.

    a melancholy mood.

    Synonyms: , , , , , , , ,
  2. causing melancholy or sadness; saddening.

    a melancholy occasion.

    Antonyms:
  3. soberly thoughtful; pensive.

    Synonyms: ,

melancholy

/ ˈmɛlənˌkɒlɪlɪ, ˈmɛlənkəlɪ /

noun

  1. a constitutional tendency to gloominess or depression

  2. a sad thoughtful state of mind; pensiveness

  3. archaic

    1. a gloomy character, thought to be caused by too much black bile

    2. one of the four bodily humours; black bile See humour

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. characterized by, causing, or expressing sadness, dejection, etc

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other 51Թ Forms

  • melancholily adverb
  • melancholiness noun
  • unmelancholy adjective
  • ˈˌDZԱ noun
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of melancholy1

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English melancholie, from Late Latin melancholia, from Greek ԳDZí ”condition of having black bile,” equivalent to melan- “black” + DZ(ḗ) “bile, gall” + -ia noun suffix; melan(o)-, chol-, -ia
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of melancholy1

C14: via Old French from Late Latin melancholia, from Greek melankholia, from melas black + DZŧ bile
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

To my ears, even the group’s earlier stuff about surfing and cars is laced with the melancholy of an outsider looking in.

From

A wall text speaks of the melancholy of returning home after a night of fun, but visually the mood is not there.

From

I feel closest to Anne Elliot myself, because of the weird mix of humor and her melancholy, which is what I tried to do with the tone of the film.

From

Ocean Vuong’s magnificent and melancholy second novel, “The Emperor of Gladness,” is both ode and reproach.

From

Israel has strong form in this category, and sets the bar again with New Day Will Rise, a melancholy piano ballad sung in a mixture of English, French and Hebrew.

From

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ˌˈDZMelanchthon